bettini



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

G. BETTINI. NIGKLE IN THE SLOT MACHINE.

No. 497,906. Patented May 23, 1893.

WITNESS I m 2 INVE TOR mrQQ MAJ. T 7* w Qk BY ATTORNEYS n5 noams mans w.mama-mun. WASHING-TON, o c.

4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

G. BETTINI. NIOKLE IN'THE SLOT MACHINE.

INVENTOR WITNESSES: (ax/MS afiw.

ATTDRNEYJ col PMoYoumu. WASH N (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

G. BBTTINI. NIGKLE IN THE SLOT MACHINE.

No 497,906. Patented May 23, 1893.

- WITNESSES; INVENTUR ATTUHNEY Y mama PETERS co wnor o-umm wnsumnmm u. a

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

G. BETTINI. NIGKLE IN THE SLOT MACHINE.

No. 497,906. Patented May 23,1893.

a 93 i a5 x J? Z8 3762 Y fw-i 'm INVENTUR CW w A TUHNEYJ WITNESSE TNEmums mans co. mcnoumm wuflmsmu. 07cv UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GIANNI BETTINI, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

NlCKEL-lN-THE-SLOT MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 497,906, dated May 23,1893.

Application filed November 3, 1891. Serial No. 410,785. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GIANNI BETTINI, a sub ject of the King of Italy, atpresent residing in the city and State of New York, have in- Vented anew and useful machine or apparatus which may be used for recreation andamusement in various ways, of which the following is a specification.

The subject matter of my invention pertains to the dropping of a ballupon a revolving table and the mechanisms are so arranged that the partsare normallynon-operative until a nickel coin or check is dropped into aslot.

The class of machines to which my invention refers is usually known bythe name of nickel-in-slotmachine.

The following is a full descriptionand the accompanying drawingsillustrate the invention, in which Figure 1, is an upright view partlyin section of the upper part of the machine, showing the balls and theirconduit as they ap proach the revolving table, with means for lettingthem out seriati'm, and the drum upon which the cord is wound to storepower in the spring which revolves the table, and also showing themechanism by which the apparatus is made operative by the insertion of anickel, penny, check, or other device of proper form or size. Fig. 2, isa top view of the mechanism for the reception of the check, or nickel,and the ball retaining slot. Fig. 3, is a sectional view of theapparatus showing the conduit tube 0. forthe ball, and mechanism'bywhich it is released; the revolving disk seated within a turning table,and the discharge tubes for the balls; and the mechanism to prevent theoperation of the turning table by hand until the machine is properlyprepared therefor. Fig. 4, is a perspective view of the turning tableand the revolving disk within. Fig. 5, is a top view of the revolvingtable and its outlets for the escape of the ball. Fig. 6, is aperspective view of the apparatus when inclosed in its casing. Fig. 7,is a top View of the device partly broken away. Fig. 8, is a sectionalview of the lower part of the machinery in which is shown the dischargetubes of the ball and mechanismby which they are delivered, also one ofthe check tubes. Fig. 9, is a perspective View of the check tubes anddevice for releasing them. Fig. 10, is an enlarged sectional View ofmechanism for delivering the balls. Figs. 11, 12 and 13, are views ofdetails.

Upon suitable frame work, the operating devices of the machine aresupported and arranged.

Viewing Fig. 1, a hopper or receptacle A, contains a series of balls01., and a conduit tube 0. for the balls. A bar a passes below theoutlet of the tube; an enlargement of the bar at this point, permits ofan opening therethrough, as at a in which one of the balls may drop andrest upon the projection a,below the bar, while the ball is held withinthe walls of the openingin the bar. Immediately behind this opening thesolid portion of the bar is somewhat inclined as at a and beyond and atthe other side of this opening is the opening in the tube or conduit aenlarged or beveled at its top so as to receive the ball when it dropsand allow it to fall down the tube and rest against the catch a, fromwhich it is released by devices which will hereinafter be described. Itwill be seen therefore, that when the ball is within the opening in thebar, as shown in Fig. 1, if the bar be pushed forward, the ball willdrop into the mouth of the tube and the succeeding ball will be prevented from falling by the solid portion of the bar of. It will also beseen, that when the bar is again restored to normal position, anotherball will drop into the opening in the bar and be held in the same wayas the one just de scribed. If the opening in the bar be large enough,it may retain more than one ball. The spring a one end of which is incontact with a pin in the bar a, and the other end in contact with astationary projection as a is the means which I have employed to restorethe bar to normal position. In order therefore, to accomplish thesemovements, I have made arrangements by which this bar may be shovedforward by hand to be restored by the spring when the hand is released.But it is desired that this bar be non-operative until the device isproperly prepared.

In the end of the bar a, I have placed a socket on, so that the end ofthe spindle 0, will pass therein freely. This latter spindle a, isoperated by pressure upon the thumb button at its outer end, to give ita forward movement, and its return movement is imparted by the spring a,one end of which is in contact with the stationary projection, and theother with a suitable collar on the spindle, so that in the drawings, asthe device is shown in Fig. 1, the spindle a, may be thrust forward andretracted at pleasure without moving the bar a as the end of the spindlewould play in the socket in the bar a, without giving movement thereto.It will be readily seen that it makes no difference whether the spindlesplays in a socket in the bar, or the bar has a movement within a collaron the spindle, the device would be non-operative in both cases untilmade operative by the insertion of the ends of the bar a and the spindlea,

there is a space a, of sufficient size to admit a penny, nickle, checkor other suitable device, and above this opening is a tube a, into whichthis check is dropped; when it reaches the bottom it constitutes a solidobstructionbetween the ends of the bar a and the spindle a The bar a maynow be advanced by pressure upon the thumb button which moves forwardthe bar and check together until they pass the end of collar a. Thethumb button is then released, and the bar a returns to its place, thecheck or penny drops into the box a", and the bar a remains caught andheld by devices which I will now explain.

On the end of bar a, is'the hook or detent catch (r WVhen the bar ispushed forward, this hook .or catch drops into a notch 19, out into onearm of the pivoted lever 12 this pivoted lever has attached to the-endof its arm b a rod 19 Whose weight supplies the force to keep the notchI), pressed into the hook a until released by other devices.

' The aforegoing description it will be seen contains the mechanismwhich delivers the ball to the obstruction a and drops the check ornickel into the box a, preparatory to the other operations of themachine.

Before describing the mechanism which releases the ball in the tube (1-at the point a I will describethat portion of the machinewhich receivesthe ball when it comes out of the tube. Upon a suitable support B, (Fig.8,) is erected the spindle b, whoseupper and lower ends are formed intocone-shaped pivots; through the support B, a set screw b serves toadjust the spindle b upon the top of this -spindle,is set the revolvingtable 731 the pointed end of the spindle entering a step in the centerof the revolving table so that it may revolve easily thereon. Therevolving table is supplied with pegs or pins b and a rim b havingsuitable openings 11*, (see Fig. 5.) The table as shown is slightlyconvex upon its upper surface, so that the balls may roll down andthrough these openings b and oif the edge of the table, Spiral springI),

the other end to a rigid part of the frame work, serves to revolve thespindle when the spring is either wound or unwound to store up itsforce. Projecting from the lower side of the table as shown in Fig. 8,is a loop of wire or other suitable material 11 and projecting from theupper end of the spindle and revolving with it is an arm Z7 to which ispivoted a lever arranged so as to fall when the spindle b is turned byhand to store up the force of the spring I), and to remain rigid andturn the table when the spring re-acts; so that while the table isturned to store up force in the spring, the arm Z9 may pass the loop Z1several times in its revolutions without affecting the table, but assoon as released and turned in the opposite direction,

it will strike the loop Z9 and revolve the table. The mechanism foraccomplishing this purpose I will now describe.

Viewing Fig. 1, G is a shaft suitably journaled within the frame; 0 isanother shaft also properly journaled in the frame to be in line withthe shaft 0; when at rest'the coup-' ling o practically makes onecontiuuous shaft of O and O. The crank X with its handle, enables thisshaft to be turned by hand. Affixed to a rigid support is the cam oreccentric 0 shown more clearly in Fig. 12, and surrounds the shaft 0like a sleeve. A roller or pin 0 (Figs. 1 and 7) is attached to theshaft; as the shaft is revolved by the crank,-this pin comes in contactwith the cam; the-shaft c is moved backward andaway from the shaft 0,but continues to revolve the latter until the coupling 0 has separated;it is returned back again to its place by the spring 0 On the shaft 0 isan eccentric or cam 0 shown in side view in Fig. 3, into the notch ofwhich the end of the weighted arm 11 drops, and when in position, holdsthe shaft and prevents it from turning, .but when the rod of has beenpushed forward as heretofore explained and the hook a is caught in thenotch of the lever b the rod b is lifted from the .cam and leaves theshafts =0 and O in condition to be turned by the crank X; on the shaft0, is also affixed a .drum 0 by turning crank X, the drum 0 is revolved,winding thereon the rope or cord 0 whose other end being attached to theinner arm of leverb d'isengages the hook e from the notch 21, and thisallows the bar a to be restored by its spring to its normal position asshown in Fig. 1, to receive another ball in the socket a and anothercheck or nickel in front of the spindle (1 The ball having, as alreadydescribed, passed through the aperture is now resting at the obstructiona and is ready to be released. On the outer end of the shaft 0 ismounted the drum pulley c and revolution of this pulley serves thepurpose of releasing the ball at the point a and storing up power in thespring I), as follows: Just where the tube a is broken, I have placed apivoted plate or rod a, the lower end of which is shaped into the formof a bell crank as. shown in Fig. 1. On one side of the drum pulley c",I have placed the pivoted lever 0 so that it may strike against the bentarm of the rod or plate a. Behind the lower arm of the lever 0 I haveplaced the stop o so that when the drum pulley c is revolved by thecrank, the lever 0 will touch against the bent arm a without affectingit, but when turned in the opposite direction will open the apertureclosed by the plate a in tube a and allow the ball to pass out of thetube and fall upon the center of the revolving table 11 On the spindle bis secured the drum Z7 around which passes the rope or cord 0 whoseother end is attached to the drum pulley c and is wound thereon byturning the crank X, thus storing a power in the spring I). It will beseen from this arrangement that while the drum pulley c is revolving torelease the bar 05* and to store up power in the spring I), the coupling0. is gradually parting until it separates the two shafts entirely. Atthis point the spring 1) begins to react, revolving the arm 19 whichcontacts with the loop Z9 on the inner side of the revolving table andgives the revolving table a momentum. The ball drops upon the table andiskept thereon, roaming about among the pins, until the momentum of thetable ceases, when it rolls out of one of the openings b and off of theedge of the table b At the same time the pin 0 passes the extremity ofcam 0 when the spring 0 forces the coupling a back to its place, theweighted rod 12 falls behind the projection on the cam c and the machineis restored to normal position. It is clear therefore, that no ball canfall into the tube a below the bar a nor can the bar a be pushedforward, until a check or coin is dropped into the tube a, and it isalso clear that the shafts O and C are prevented from being turned untilthe bar a is pushed forward, those shafts being locked by the weightedarm b behind the projection on the cam 0.

Supported by the frame work of the machine is a circular frame D, (Figs.3 and 8) provided with a groove d within which are placed a number ofballs (1 Upon these balls is placed the circular plate d The inner edgeof this plate projects under the outer edge of the revolving table toreceive the ball and direct its course outwardly. Near the outer edge ofthis plate are cut a number of openings cl, as many as may be desired,and on its inner edge is cut one or more openings, so that when a ballhas rolled off of the revolving table, it will drop through one of theinner or outer openings in this plate. Beneath these openings issupported a frame having two circular grooves d and 61 into one of whichthe ball drops when it rolls from the revolving table. The grooves areinclined downwardly and terminate at the bottom in openings, to whichare attached the tubes (1 and d into which the ball falls down until itis stopped by one of the weighted levers (1". One end of this lever d ishooked and the weight of the ball forces it down and over the hooked endof the bar 01 for a purpose which will be more fully explained.

Upon the circular plate 01 is arranged a glass plate d supported bysuitable posts, so that the whole device is in the form of a circularbox supported upon the rollers (1 and is turned by the handle (Z anopening, in the center of the glass plate admits the end of the tube athrough which the balls pass to drop upon the revolving table. Upon theface of the glass plate may be put an arrow or index finger in suchposition that it stands directly over the inner opening (if there be butone) in the plate 01 and upon the box and surrounding the glass plate,are placed a series of blocks which may be ornamented with differentfigures as desired; so that a party desiring to operate the device mayselect any one of the surrounding figures and turn the circular boxuntil the index points to the figure of his choice. If the selection bea good one and the ball should respond, it will drop into the singleinner opening and down into its corresponding tube; should it fail, itwill drop through one of the outer openings and its tube in either caseto be finally stopped by one of the weighted levers d Immediately belowone hooked end of the weighted lever d is the hooked end of a spindle (1which may be pulled outwardly by a button on the end of the spindle andis returned to its place again by the spring (Z and in the end of thetube immediately above the arm d", is a door (1 hinged to openoutwardly. The lever 01 is pivoted to a shaft (Z which has areciprocating movement impelled in one direction by a spring d and inthe other when pulled by the spindle 61 Upon the hooked arm of the levercl is arranged an upward projection d" and the pipe is cut away to allowthis projection to contact with the rear edge of the ball, and when thelever d is forced down, the ball resting thereon, the projection d"will, when pulled, strike against the ball, open the door at d, allowthe ball to escape and fall into the box d. It will thus be seen thatthe shaft 01 can only be pulled out when one of the balls has runthrough its course and has booked the shaft 01 to the spindle (Z whenthe ball has dropped and the spindle is released, the parts return againto their original position and no movement of the spindle d will operatethe shaft 01 An enlarged view of this portion of the device is shown inFig. 10. In connec tion with this device I have arranged two tubes E, E,into which are placed checks. In one of the check tubes the checks areof different character than in the other or in both tubes the checks maybe mixed, and beneath each of the tubes is one of the shafts d providedeach with a box as (Z and (1 into which the checks are dropped when oneof the spindles (Z is caught and pulled by one of the shafts (Z Fig. 9will illustrate this.

The checks in the tubes rest upon a lbs solid part of the box 01 pulledforward and the box with it, the rear edge of the box pulls off thelower check which drops through the opening (1 and out through the pipe(1 It is evident from this arrangement that no check can be extractedfrom either of the tubes until a ball passing down its tube has hookedone of the shafts (Z to its appropriate spindle.

An arrangement as shown in Fig. 9, may be made by which a sliding frameas Z1 may be made to operate either of the checks in their proper tubes,or a ball in its appropriate tube with but one handle as d It will beseen by this arrangement that the frame when pulled by 01 will carryboth of the spindles (1 but only one of the balls and one of the checksas governed by the ball in the tube which has connected a shaft andspindle together. In addition to this arrangement, I have placed adevice which will prevent the party operating the apparatus fromdiscovering the course which the ball is about to take as the momentumof the revolving table comes to an end and byturning a handle d enablehim to direct the ball into an inner opening which represents thehighest denomination of check. A weighted or spring lever F, suitablypivoted to a portion of the frame is operated by a button f 2 secured tothe cord 0 which passes around the drum 0". The upper end of this leverwhen the drum 0 is turned drops between the pins f secured to thecircular plate d locks this wheel, and prevents it from being turned byits crank; this lever is locked and held by a spring lever f shown inFig. 3, in two positions represented by dotted and full lines. The lowerend of this lever has attached a cord it, (see Figs. 3 and 7) whichbranches and passes around suitable pulleys and the ends of the branchesare attached to the bars 6 the spring barf keeps the turning tablelocked until one of the bars at is pulled, releasing the lock lever fromlever F, and lever F from the pegs on the frame, and the table is freeto be turned by its crank when the other parts of the apparatus are atnormal position and ready to be operated.

It will be seen that the blocks around the top plate d, may be made torepresent any kind of characters, historical or comical or they may besimply numbers or figures. The check to be dropped into the slot may beof any material, form or size, the balls of any material orconfiguration adapted to roll off the tables.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: A party takes hold of thecrank of the upper plate and turns the pointer to any of the figures onthe surrounding blocks; he then dropsa penny, dime, nickel or check ofsuitable form into the tube a, which falls between the ends of thespindle 0. and the bar a, and makes operative the bar a by pushing thespindle a as it is pushed, the lower ball in the upper tube drops intothe As the shaft (1 is lower tube a and falls therethrough until stoppedbythe check rod or plate'a while the other balls in the upper tube areretained by the solid part of the bar a"; the rod 00, when thus pushed,advances and operates the lever 19 to release the locking bar 12 fromthe check or cam c and holds it in this position making the shaft 0operative by turning the crank X; the spindle 0. is then released and isreturned by its spring to starting point allowing the check, nickel orpenny to drop in the box a". The bar a does not return but is caughtandheld by thedetent ct and hook I). The operator now turns the crank X,which performs several operations. It turns at first bot-h shafts (land0', winds the cord on the drum 0", releases the bar a whose springreturns it to place allowing another ball to be dropped into its openingand be retained therein for another operation. ing a force in the spring19 it drops a pawl between the pegs of the turning table and holds itlocked until afterward released; it releases the ball held by the rod aand allows it to drop upon the revolving table and pursue its coursethrough one of the tubes d d and lock one of the bars (Z to the spindle01 in position to draw out a ball and check by the same movement, andfinally it separates the shafts O and 0, allowing the revolving table tobe turned by the reaction of its spring and receives the released ballwhile revolving and returns the coupling 0 to its normal position. Theoperator now pulls the spindle 01 draws out a check and ball andreleases the lever F from the pegs on the turning table.

The device may be applied to numberless uses. A parlor game for childrenmay be played to reward a successful guess. One of the party turns thepointer to one of the figures of the surrounding blocks; one of thechecks in the tube may also contain the same figure. If such check bedrawn, the drawer may be selected as queen or king of the game or abook, print or other reward maybe given. It may also be used forcharity.

The different hospitals may be represented by the checks and the nickelor penny given to the one corresponding with the check drawn out; theuses of the device may be multiplied.

What I claim is 1. In a nickel-in-slot machine, a revolving table anddriving mechanism therefor, in combination with a conducting tube forthe passage of a ball whose outlet is over the table,

means for retaining the ball in the tube, and means for releasing thesame normally nonoperative until the table begins to revolve.

2. In a nickel-in-slot machine, a revolving table in combination with atube for the passage of a series of balls, whose outlet is over thetable, and mechanism normally non-0perative for delivering the balls asrequired, and means for receiving a check, or coin to convert thenonoperative into'an operative It winds the cord on the drum 0 stor--mechanism to release a ball and drop it on the revolving table.

3. In a nickel-in-slot machine, a revolving table and a conduittube'forthe passage of a serles of balls, having an outlet over thetable, and means for arresting the passage of the balls, in combinationwith a sliding bar or rod a normally non-operative and provided with anopening to retain one of the balls located IO Within a break in thetube, a spindle for impellmg the bar, a space between the ends of thebar and spindle for the insertion of a coin orcheek whereby the bar maybe made operative by impelling the spindle, substantially r 5 asdescribed.

4. In a nickel-in-slot machine, a conduit tube for a series of balls,means normally nouoperative for cutting out and dropping the balls intothe tube as required, means for preventing the other balls from fallingwhile one 1s dropped, in combination with a revolving table to receivethe dropped ball and means for arresting and holding the ball within thetube until the table begins to revolve.

5. In a nickel-in-slot machine, a revolving table and mechanism fordriving the same, devices normally non-operative for storing the powerin said driving mechanism, a tube for the passage of a ball to bedropped upon 0 the table, and devices normally non-operative forreleasing the ball to be dropped, in combination with means actuated bythe insertion of a check or coin to make operative both thepower-storing and ball-releasing devices.

6. In a nickel-in-slot machine, a revolving table and driving mechanismtherefor, devices normally non-operative for storing force in thedriving mechanism, in combination with means normally non-operative tomake oper- 4o ative the force-storing devices and the driving mechanismfor the table actuated by the insertion of a check or coin.

7. In a nickel-in-slot machine, a conduit tube for a series of balls andmeans normally non-operative for dropping the balls within the tube asrequired, in combination with a table and means normally non-operativefor revolving the same, mechanism to render operative the releasingdevices for the ball and 5c the means for revolving the table, and meansfor catching and receiving the ball when it leaves the table.

8. In a niekel-in-slot machine, a shaft as 0 provided with lockingdevices and the weighted rod 19 in combination with a pivoted lever W, anormally non-operative sliding shaft a acting upon a lever 19* torelease the locking device on shaft 0, and means for making the shaftoperative by dropping a check or coin in the slot.

9. In a nickle-in-slot machine, a revolving table operated by the storedforce of a spring, means for storing the force in the spring operated bya shaft 0, in combination with a shaft 0 coupled in line with shaft 0,means for turning shaft 0 through a coupling 0 means for withdrawing thecoupling to separate the shafts when G is turned, whereby stored forceis given to the spring and the revolving table operated in a reversedirection when the shafts are separated.

10. In a nickel-in-slot machine, a revolving table and means fordelivering a ball thereon in combination with a turning table locatedbeneath the revolving table in position to receive the ball therefromand provided with a series of openings, and means for adjusting theturning table to bring its openings into any required position withrelation to the revolving table.

11. In a nickel-in-slot n1achine ,arevolving table and means fordelivering a ball thereon, in combination with a turning table locatedbeneath the revolving table and provided with a series of openings toreceive the ball from the revolving table, means for adjusting theturning table to bring the openings in any required position and astationary gutter beneath the openings to receive the balls passingtherethrough.

12. In a nickel-in-slot machine, the pivoted hooked lever (1 arranged toclose the opening in the tube d and provided with a projection behindthe tube, the tube (i cut away in the rear to provide a passage for theprojection on the lever and a hinged door in front, in combination witha hooked sliding spindle 01 whereby a ball is withdrawn when the leversare hooked.

13. In a nickel-in-slotmachine, a revolving table and means fordelivering a ball thereon, a tube for receiving the ball from the table,in combination with a receptacle containing a series of checks, devicesfor delivering said 7 checks as required, mechanism normallynonoperative for actuating the delivery devices made operative by thepassage of the ball through the tube.

14:. In anickel-in-slot machine,a receptacle for checks E, and meansnormally non-operative for drawing out the checks one at atime, incombination with a spring revolved table, normally non-operative until aforce is stored in the spring, a receptacle containing a series ofballs, and means normally non-operative for dropping the balls one at atime upon the revolving table, and made operative. by dropping a checkin a slot, whereby the ball is released and the power storing mechanismis unlocked, and means operated by the released ball to make operativethe mechanism for drawing out a check from the receptacle.

Signed at New York city, in the county of New York and State of NewYork, this 236. day of October, A. D. 1891.

GIANNI BETTINI.

Witnesses:

WALTER L.-MCCORKLE, E. L. I-IEALY.

